POLICIES :: eCommunications :: Pan-European numbers and services

Pan-European numbers and services

With more mobility for citizens in Europe it is increasingly important that access to essential services does not depend on ‘local knowledge’. Harmonisation and coordination of telecommunications services provide opportunities to introduce unified numbers as well as services to benefit citizens all over the EU. These include the single European emergency number 112 and the 116 range of numbers for social services. Soon Europeans will be also able to benefit from pan-European mobile satellite services.

Mobile satellite services (MSS)

Mobile satellite services (MSS) allow communications between satellites and mobile terrestrial equipment. Their use can range from high-speed internet access to mobile television and radio and emergency communications. Mobile satellite services cover a large part of the EU's territory, thereby reaching millions of EU citizens across borders. They can ensure access for all Europeans to new communication services, not only in metropolitan areas, but also rural and less populated regions.

The Commission aims to encourage a single market for these services. To facilitate their roll-out, operators of MSS systems have been selected through a single selection procedure for mobile satellite services at European level instead of 27 different national procedures.

Interested companies had up to 7 October 2008 to submit their applications to the European Commission. The Commission acknowledged the receipt of four applications. Following an assessment against the admissibility requirements, the Commission decided on 11 December 2008 that the four applicants are admissible to the next stages of the selection procedure:

ICO Satellite Limited

Inmarsat Ventures Limited

Solaris Mobile Limited

TerreStar Europe Limited

The Commission, with the assistance of independent external experts, evaluated whether these applicants demonstrated the required level of technical and commercial development of their satellite systems. Such assessment relied on the satisfactory completion of five milestones regarding for instance the construction of the satellites or their launch. The credibility of applicants and the viability of the proposed mobile satellite systems were also taken into account. Two applicants demonstrated the required level of technical and commercial development of their satellite systems. No further assessment of applications was required as the two candidates could be accommodated in the available spectrum. As a result, the Commission selected the following two applicants on 13 May 2009:

Inmarsat Ventures Limited

Solaris Mobile Limited

Within 30 working days of the publication of the list of selected applicants they must inform the Commission in case they do not intend to use the radio frequencies.

The authorisation of the selected applicants at national level must now be ensured as soon as possible and in accordance with the EU authorisation rules. The two operators have to be authorised to use their satellite systems all over Europe for 18 years from the selection decision. While first services are expected in 2009-2010, the development and commercial deployment of mobile satellite systems must be completed by the selected operators by May 2011 at the latest. The selected applicants will be bound by the commitments that they have undertaken, including commitments made concerning consumer and competitive benefits and geographic coverage.

In October 2008, a request for annulment of the legal basis for the selection procedure was brought to the Court of First Instance of the European Communities. The case is currently pending before the Court (Case T-441/08).

In May 2009, a request for annulment of the Commission Selection Decision of 13 May 2009 was brought to the Court of First Instance of the European Communities. The case is currently pending before the Court (Case T-196/09).

116xyz – harmonised European numbers for hot- and helplines

The 116000 telephone number has been reserved in all Member States as a hotline for reporting missing children. This initiative is the first of a number of common Europe-wide telephone services that deliver social benefits and start with the three digits 116. Hotlines for parents to report missing children already exist in several EU countries, but they use a variety of numbers. Having a common hotline number will greatly help parents if their child goes missing whilst travelling outside their home country. On 25 May 2009, Missing Children Europe launched a European campaign on 116 000. More information at www.hotline116000.eu.

The number 116111 for child helplines is the second number after 116000 that the European Commission considers a priority in its strategy for children's rights. 116111 is addressed directly to children who seek someone to talk to and provide assistance. A third number, 116123, has been reserved for emotional support helplines. The lines will give moral support to individuals who are suffering from loneliness, are in a state of psychological crisis or thinking about committing suicide. The decision reserving these two additional numbers can be found here.

By 31 August 2007, national telecoms regulators should have made the 116000 number publicly available. For 116111 and 116123, the deadline passed on 29 February 2008. It is up to hotline and helpline providers to launch the service once they have been assigned the number by a Member State. These service providers must be able to handle calls appropriately and free of charge in principle 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, nation-wide.

On 30 November 2009 two further numbers, 116006 and 116117, were reserved for helplines for victims of crime and non-emergency medical on-call services respectively (see further details below).

State of Implementation of reserved 116 numbers

In June 2008, the Commission requested Member States, via the Communications Committee, to provide detailed data on the implementation of 116000, 116111 and 116123. The updated results of the EU-wide survey (annex) showed that Member States had done little to publicise the numbers' availability, delaying their implementation across the EU.

The Commission, with the help of the Member States, updated the information on implementation of the reserved numbers as at 1 January 2009 and 1 July 2009. The latest update, as at 1 January 2010, shows that:

All EU Member States are now able to give the right to use the numbers 116000, 116111 and 116123 to organisations.
116000 has been assigned to service providers in twelve Member States (Belgium, Denmark, Greece, France, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and the United Kingdom) and is functioning in eleven Member States (Belgium, Denmark, Greece, France, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Slovakia).
Nineteen Member States (Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Lithuania, Latvia, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovakia and the United Kingdom) have assigned 116111. 116111 is functioning in thirteen Member States (Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Hungary, Ireland, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovakia).
Regarding 116123, eleven Member States (Austria, Cyprus, Germany, Finland, Ireland, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Slovenia and the United Kingdom) have assigned 116123. 116123 is functioning in five Member States (Austria, Germany, Lithuania, Poland (as of 19/01/2010) and Slovenia.

Two new numbers - 116006 and 116117

On 30 November 2009 the Commission reserved two new numbers in the 116 range: 116006 for helplines for victims of crime and 116117 for non-emergency medical on-call services. Member States are required to make those numbers available by 15 April 2010 to organisations wishing to provide such services in their territory.

The helpline for victims of crime (116006) will give people emotional support, inform them of their rights and how to use these, while also referring victims to relevant organisations. As a single access point, it will provide information about local police and criminal justice proceedings, possibilities for compensation and insurance matters, and other sources of help for victims of crime.
The non-emergency medical on-call service (116117) will direct callers to medical assistance when the need is urgent but not life-threatening, especially outside normal office hours, during the weekend or public holidays. The aim is to connect the caller to a skilled call-handler or a qualified medical practitioner who could provide on-call medical assistance or advice.

The Commission Decision reserving these two new numbers can be found here. The press release announcing the decision can be found here.

Other 116 numbers

All other numbers beginning with 116 have been "frozen" so as to reserve them for services of social value in Europe, and this decision and its amending decisions are binding for all Member States. The 116 family of numbers will be freephone numbers and the services they provide will benefit citizens by helping those in difficulty, or by contributing to their well-being or safety, wherever they travel within the EU. EU Member States are obliged to reserve, make publicly available and publicise the availability of the "116 numbers", but not to assign the numbers to a service provider or actually ensure the provision of the services.

Strengthened provisions on 116 numbers in Telecoms Reform Package

As part of the package of reforms to the EU's regulatory framework for electronic communications adopted on 25 November 2009, a new provision (Article 27a) has been inserted in the Universal Service Directive (Directive 2002/22/EC) dealing specifically with 116 numbers. This Article provides, inter alia, that:

Member States shall promote the specific 116 numbers reserved by the Commission and shall encourage the provision within their territory of the services for which such numbers are reserved;
Member States shall ensure that disabled end-users are able to access services provided under the "116" numbering range to the greatest extent possible;
Member States shall ensure that citizens are adequately informed of the existence and use of services provided under the "116" numbering range, in particular through initiatives specifically targeting persons travelling between Member States;
Member States shall make every effort to ensure that citizens have access to a service operating a hotline to report cases of missing children. The hotline shall be available on the number 116000.

The Member States have until 25 May 2011 to incorporate the new requirements into their national laws.

The single European emergency number

112 is designed to enable anyone to call emergency services from anywhere in the European Union. No need to remember different emergency numbers when travelling in the EU. All you need is 112. Following a European initiative from 1991, this single European emergency number is now available in all EU Member States. In some Member States such as Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Portugal and Romania, 112 has become the main emergency number. However, in most Member States it still operates alongside other national numbers.

Member States must ensure that 112 can be called free of charge from any fixed or mobile telephone, including public payphones. In addition, it requires that 112 calls be appropriately answered and handled. Member States must also make sure that telecoms operators provide emergency services with the location data of people calling 112. Lastly, all EU countries are required to inform citizens, whether national or visitors, about the existence of 112. A recent EU survey found out that a large majority of EU citizens are still unaware that the European emergency number 112 can be used across the EU in case of emergency. The Commission has recently proposed to further strengthen EU telecoms rules for 112 and, among other, improving access to 112 for people with disabilities.

The Commission is working to improve 112 implementation and emergency responses across the EU. Its specific activities focus on:

European 112 Day: On 11 February 2009, the European Commission signed a joint declaration together with the European Parliament and Council establishing 11 February as the European 112 Day.
Raising awareness: the Commission launched a 112 website, which provides user-friendly country information to citizens who would like to be informed about 112.
Ensuring that EU rules are correctly applied: several infringement proceedings against Member States were launched, in particular regarding the provision of caller location information for mobile calls.
Collaborating with national authorities through expert groups: such as the Communications Committee (COCOM) and the Expert Group on Emergency Access (EGEA).
Supporting other 112 initiatives: such as research projects.